Different Kids
It's been said
millions of times that all kids are different. Some kids can start a weight
training routine and get bigger, stronger and faster and seem to have
no ill effects whatsoever. Different kid, same routine and he will get
sore, stiff, get slower and get hurt. Some kids have long lean muscle
and others have short, thick muscle. Some have more natural fast twitch
muscle and others more slow twitch. Some kids are going through puberty
with huge growth spurts where their bones are growing faster than the
muscles can keep up which causes what is commonly known as 'growing pains.'
Some are physically mature and look more like men and women than boys
and girls. Why then do we have the same workout routine for all of them?
Mull that one over for a while...
Different
Sports
Should the workout/weight
training routines be the same for a football player and someone in track
and field? Wait, should they be the same for a quarterback and a defensive
lineman? Should they be the same for a shot putter and someone who runs
the 100 meter dash? Should they be the same for a pitcher and an outfielder?
If not then why do athletes in middle schools, high schools, at
the college and professional levels involved in Track, Football, Baseball,
Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Volleyball, Wrestling, all use the same basic weight
training routine? Mull some more...
Different
Goals
When
I have a kid in middle or high school come to my office with an injury
that they've gotten while lifting weights or stemming from decreased flexibility
from their weight training program in conjunction with an activity like
pitching in a baseball game we have a conversation that goes something
like this:
-What
are your goals as they pertain to sports?
(Usual answer, "Huh?")
-
Do you want to play baseball in high school, college or the professional
levels? (Usual answer..."Yes.")
-
Are you more interested in other sports like football or power lifting?
(Usual answer, "No, I want to play baseball.")
-
Are you getting faster or slower?
(Usual answer, "Slower.")
-Are
you throwing harder/faster or slower?
(Usual answer, "Slower.")
-Do
you have more or less pain or tightness before or after you began your
weightlifting program?
(Usual answer, "More pain. I never was hurt before I started lifting
weights.")
-What kind of
weight routine are you doing?
(Usual answer, "3 sets of 8 repetitions with
70-75-80% of our max. Bench press, military press, power cleans, dead
lifts, and squats.")
-Straight bar
or dumbbells?
(Usual answer, "Straight bar.")
-So you want
to be a football player or a power lifter?
(Usual answer, "Huh?")
-Well, that is
a routine developed for bodybuilders and power lifters in the 70's designed
for getting bigger and stronger and has been used by football coaches
for years for that purpose. Would you rather have a routine that will
make you faster, throw harder, put less stress on your joints like your
shoulders, elbows and back so you won't get hurt like this in the future?
(Answer EVERY TIME..."Yes, but
what do I tell my coach?")
Coach, every kid
has different goals. Every kid has a different body type. Every
kid can't use the same workout routine and achieve their
goals. Their goals and your goals for them may
be different! You may want that athlete to be a tight end or tackle on
your football team. The kid just wants to pitch for the Longhorns one
day. I ask every kid and parent that comes here with an injury to sit
down with you and discuss their goals and ask you to help them achieve
them. They are universally scared to death to do this. They're afraid
you'll be angry. They're afraid you'll sit them on the bench. What to
do?!
Different
Workouts
Yes,
different workouts! The cool part for you is that you don't have to come
up with them all by yourself. We'll show you some that you can use along
with progress tracking charts but first some do's and don'ts. go>
